National.

A remonstrance against further increase of the navy, signed by five hundred ministers of Boston and vicinity, has been forwarded to Washington. The remonstrance declares: "The fact that the United States, which has no enemies but is on friendly terms with all nations, is spending more than thirty per cent of its revenues, postal receipts not included, on preparations for war and nearly seventy per cent for war purposes, if the expenses of past wars be included, or nearly four hundred million dollars a year, should in our judgment cause the Government to take immediate action for the reduction of military and naval appropriations. We believe that the legal system already emtodied in The Hague conventions is adequate to meet the requirements of international justice, on an honorable, equitable, and economic basis."

The committee on naval affairs of the House will recommend to the House the following vessels: Two battleships to cost about eleven million dollars each; two fleet colliers at one million dollars each; one repair ship to cost one million dollars; four submarines costing about five hundred thousand dollars each. The naval appropriation bill, as now practically completed, carries about one hundred and twenty-eight million dollars, as compared with one hundred and thirty-six million dollars last year.

The bank guaranty fund law of Oklahoma had its first severe test last summer when the Columbia Bank and Trust Company failed, and the depositors were paid dollar for dollar claims amounting to $2,800,000. This depleted the state's supply fund to such an extent that under the law another assessment was levied on the other banks. The state's action was fought by the banks on the ground that the law was unconstitutional, and was decided for the state in the state courts, It was appealed and is now to be adjudicated in the United States supreme court.

That John D. Rockefeller plans to spend his millions on a still greater scale than ever in the cause of education, charity, and other beneficent objects, was made clear last week, when Senator Gallinger introduced a bill to incorporate "The Rockefeller Foundation," which will have headquarters in Washington. Behind the incorporation is hidden the greatest plan for the systematization of charity in the history of the world.

"Cosmopolitan clubs" composed of foreign students enrolled in American colleges, exist at present in twenty-three educational institutions. They result in bringing together the picked men of various countries of the globe, in developing a mutual understanding, admiration, and love among men who are probably destined to be prominent in their own countries in coming years, and point happily toward a future world unity.

All over the country on March 1 corporations hastened to file with internal revenue collectors the reports of their business called for by the new corporation tax law. Many thousands of corporations, however, did not file reports and so have become liable to penalties. Many of the returns that were sent had protests attached to them. Iowa is the only state in which complete returns were made.

The Senate has passed the bill authorizing the issuance of thirty million dollars' worth of certificates of indebtedness for the completion of irrigation projects of the Government already under way. The bill is intended to supply sufficient money to finish these works, and it is contemplated that the certificates will be redeemed by money derived from the sale of the lands redeemed by the improvements.

The Western Union Telegraph Company has promulgated orders to accept messages over the telephone from any regular subscriber of the American Telephone Company, to be transmitted as telegrams. This order makes it possible for every subscriber throughout the entire country to send a telegram without leaving his residence or his office.

At a conference held at the White House, attended by Attorney-general Wickersham and Senators Aldrich and Crane and Speaker Cannon, it was decided that the railroad, the postal savings bank, and two conservation fills should be pressed for passage with all the power at the command of the Administration party.

The second meeting of the New Jersey mayors' conference has been held at the State House. The legislative committee, appointed at the first meeting several weeks ago, has completed drafts of bills for uniform accounts in municipalities and limited bond issues for cities. The committee also favors a short ballot bill.

A minority report of the committee on interstate commerce on the Administration's interstate commerce till condemns the measure unsparingly. It makes the statement that bill prevents neither the combination nor the overcapitalization of railroads, and is declared to be ineffective for these evils.

The House committee on interstate commerce, by a majority of two, has voted to create the interstate commerce court, the provision for which the President and the attorney-general have been working.

The Senate, after debate, of the bill giving legislative authority for future appropriations to purchase sites for the construction of buildings as residences for diplomatic officials abroad.

International.

The Dalai Lama, the religious head of Tibet, has left Lhasa, because of the approach of Chinese soldiers, and has fled to Darjeeling, India. That the trouble in Tibet is the direct result of arbitrary British interference is asserted by Sir Henry Cotton, whose long years of official service have made him an authority on Far Eastern affairs. He says: "The present crisis at Lhasa is the aftermath of the British expedition under Colonel Young-husband [ostensibly to impress the necessity of respecting treaty obligation] into Tibet seven years ago. At that time I vigorously protested against the unwarrantable assumption of Lord Curzon that the suzerainty of China over Tibet was 'a constitutional fiction.' The truth is that for about two hundred years that suzerainty has existed and was never disputed. The only result that could ensue has happened. It was inevitable that China would assert her authority by drastic measures, aiming at the establishment of effective power in Tibet. The situation is a direct consequence of our interference in Tibet, and is very embarrassing for the British government, upon which are now forced most delicate and tactful negotiations with China regarding Tibetan affairs in which we have no real concern." The Chinese government has replied to an inquiry by Great Britain, setting forth her intentions in Tibet, and the reply is regarded as satisfactory by the British foreign office. China declares that the interior administration of Tiber will not be changed. Japan declares that China has made a grave political mistake in degrading the Dalai Lama, and that its action in disregard of the interests of the Powers concerned should not have been taken without consultation with Great Britain, Russia, and Japan.

The Smithsonian African expedition of Colonel Roosevelt broke up at Gondokorp, Sudan, last week, all of the porters and half of the servants returning to Kampala and Nairobi. The former President of the United States will arrive in Berlin May 10, and the authorities of the Berlin University are arranging for a cordial reception. Emperor William has also indicated his intention to entertain him. It is understood that, acting on the precedent in the case of ex-President Grant in June, 1877, when on a tour of the world, the London Corporation intends to offer to Theodore Roosevelt a public reception in the Guildhall, London. Paris also will entertain him fittingly.

Reports made to the Mexican government for the fiscal year 1908—1909 by the oil-producing concerns show that the oil yield of the republic for that year had an aggregate value of approximately $2,400,000. The oil refining business is at present confined to the Pearson interests, which operate a large plant at Minatitlan, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the Waters-Pierce Oil Company, whose plant is at Tampico. The Mexican Petroleum Company has a small refinery at Ebano.

President Fallieres has personally called on Prince von Radolin, the German ambassador to France, to express condolences on the recent demise of the ambassador's son. As this is the first visit a President of the republic has paid to the German embassy since the Franco-Prussian war, it has created much comment.

The official reports of the flood damage in eighteen out of the eighty-six departments of France show monetary losses of $14,600,000. This includes the $10,000,000 damages done in Paris, but here as elsewhere no account is made of the indirect losses, which are incalculable.

An anticipated deficit of $42,000,000 in the Russian income has disappeared, and the budget for the first time in twenty-two years shows a surplus of $1,850,000.

Industrial and Commercial.

The annual peanut crop of the United States is about twelve million bushels, worth seven million dollars, but the production is now far below the demand. The cultivation of peanuts has proved a profitable industry for Japan, from which country the United States imported over fifty-five hundred thousand pounds in the first ten months of last year.

Three-cent street railway fare with municipal supervision of the car lines has become a reality in Cleveland. The receivership of the local traction lines which has existed since Nov. 12, 1908, is lifted and the Cleveland Railway Company has taken over the property under an ordinance recently approved at a referendum.

More than $13,500,000 is to be spent in 1910 for new equipment for the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads, the line of James J. Hill.

The geological survey estimates that there are 15,104,500,000 tons of coal in the known coal areas of Alaska.